The present invention generally relates to input apparatuses for entering base sequence information of the gene, and more particularly to an input apparatus which facilitates the confirmation of the input information entered into a computer when entering into the computer the base sequence information of the gene imaged on a film by X-ray photography.
It is generally known that the gene of an organism is made up of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in which four kinds of organic bases are arranged in a double helix structure. The four kinds of bases are adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and thymine (T). As a method of determining the base sequence of the DNA, there is a method called the Maxam-Gilbert method. According to the Maxam-Gilbert method, the DNA chain is broken by a reagent which chemically separates each of the bases, and the bases are arranged according to the difference in the lengths thereof by the electrophoresis method to image the bases on the film by X-ray photography. Bands of the bases A, G, C, and T are arranged on the film which is obtained by the X-ray photography, and it is possible to analyze the gene by analyzing the base sequence on the film.
In order to perform the base sequence analysis, the base sequence information (hereinafter simply referred to as base code) on the film is entered into a computer. As an input apparatus for entering the base code into the computer, there is a conventional input apparatus which uses a digitizer. The X-ray film is placed on the digitizer, and the bands on the film are successively traced by a pen or a cursor so as to enter the output signal of the digitizer into the computer. According to this type of an input apparatus, it is necessary to trace the band by the pen or cursor and then confirm whether the base code is correctly entered into the computer. Such a confirming operation is required because an operational error may occur even when the bands on the film are clearly visible. Especially in a case where the bands on the film are curved (when the so-called smiling occurs), it is difficult to determine the relationship between upper and lower ends (front and rear ends) of the different bands, and an operational error is likely to occur in such a case when entering the base code into the computer. In addition, in a case where the precision of the film is high and the bands are concentrated on the film, it is difficult to correctly determine the number of bands at parts on the film where the bands appear virtually overlapped, and an operational error is even more likely to occur in this case.
For this reason, the base codes which are entered into the computer are conventionally displayed on a display or are printed on a printer to confirm the entered base codes, which display and printer are provided additionally to the computer.
However, according to the conventional apparatus which visually confirms the base code entered into the computer by displaying the base codes on the display, it is necessary to confirm whether the base code is correctly entered into the computer by monitoring the display every time the input operation is performed to enter the base code into the computer from the digitizer. Hence, the operator must alternately shift his line of vision between the digitizer and the display, and the operation efficiency of the input operation is poor because of the poor confirmation efficiency. Further, there is a disadvantage in that the operator will easily suffer eyestrain.
On the other hand, according to the conventional apparatus which prints the base codes entered into the computer by the printer, the base codes are printed after all or a predetermined large number of base codes are entered into the computer. The confirmation of whether the base codes are correctly entered is performed by visually comparing and checking the base codes on the film and the data on a printed paper. Thus, it takes a long time to complete the confirming operation. Moreover, it is impossible to notice an error immediately after the error is made during the input operation performed with respect to a base code, because the base code entered into the computer is only printed after all or the predetermined large number of base codes are entered into the comupter. Therefore, there are disadvantages in that the confirmation efficiency and the correcting efficiency are poor.